Summer usually brings warmer temperatures to most regions of the United States and particularly in the South where temperatures can become excessive. On a typical July day, it is not uncommon to see temperatures well above 100 degrees in the southern states. In Texas last year, for example, temperatures in excess of 110 degrees Fahrenheit were recorded on numerous days.
The interior of cars exposed to such climates can reach exceedingly high temperatures, which at times may become in excess of 280 degrees. In fact, even in milder climates, car interiors can heat to unbearable levels where the outside temperature is not so excessive. A shaded, closed car can reach 90 degrees in just five minutes, and 110 degrees in 25 minutes, when the outside temperature is only 78 degrees. In the sun, a car interior can reach very high temperatures in a short amount of time, sometimes reaching a temperature of 200 degrees in just a few minutes. This phenomenon is the result of the infrared and ultraviolet light that penetrates a car""s windshield and windows. Instead of these light waves escaping or passing through the vehicle interior, they are reflected around throughout the automobile causing or resulting in a tremendous temperature rise within the vehicle.
People are growing ever more health conscious. Numerous articles and television stories warn of leaving pets and children unattended in automobiles. There have recently been numerous reports of both pets and children, after being left in a closed car on a sunny day, who have died from heat exposure. Dr. Erna Braun, a veterinarian, concluded: xe2x80x9cOnce an animal has been confined to a small space like a car and the ambient temperature rises to 110 or 120 degrees, it is only a matter of minutes until the animal will succumb to heat exhaustion.xe2x80x9d
Modern automobiles manufactured today typically include a microprocessor. The microprocessor is responsible for obtaining data from various systems throughout the car, processing this data, and then activating and deactivating control systems. Fundamental systems run by the microprocessor include the catalytic converter and emissions control systems, manifold temperature and pressure systems, fuel and oil pressure and control, and exhaust control. Other systems include speedometer, tachometer, transmission control, radio and air conditioning.
Companies such as Motorola have already developed advanced microprocessors specifically for automobiles. These advanced processors are capable of, in addition to the functions mentioned above, speech recognition, wireless communications and Internet access. These sophisticated processors have processing power to support real-time information, entertainment, communications and navigation applications for the car. In short, there is already a vast amount of processing power within an automobile and it will increase in the future.
What is lacking in the art is a combination of a temperature sensing and optional motion/occupant sensing system with the fundamental processing and control capability of the car""s internal microprocessor in order to create a vehicle temperature safety system. With the increased sophistication in today""s automobiles, including split climate control, automatic anti-theft devices, global positioning systems and driving directions, this system is a natural extension that can reduce the health risk of remaining in a vehicle for extended periods of time and may even save both pet""s and people""s lives.